Controlling device for radiators



w. SHURTLEFF I CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR RADIATORS June 30, 1925.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, was

I III/872101;"

June 30, 1925.

1,543,881 w. SHURTLEFF CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR RADIATbRS Filed July 2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fjiuanto/ 24w 07a Patented June 30,1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILFRED SHURTLEFE -OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HERMAN NELSON CORPORATION, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR RADIATORS.

Application filed July 2, 1923. Serial No. 649,097.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILFREI) SHURTLEFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Controlling Devices for Radiators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto improvements in controlling devices for radiators and more particularly to means for automatically regulating the delivery of the heating fluid to the radiator, and governed by the conditions existing at a given point within the radiator.

The object of the invention is to pro vide a device that will control the fluid supply at the inlet end of the radiator and prevent the lossof heat that ordinarily is dissipated in the return pipes, and to otherwisecontrol the temperature or heat radiation under conditions of varying pressures of the fluid or steam supply.

The'problem of controlling the heating capacity of a radiator by the hand operated valve is rendered uncertain, due to the fact that in the average steam or vapor heating plant it is difiicult to maintain the steam pressure uniform. The same is true in a hot water heating plant. This condition is I obviously the result of variations in the firing of the boiler and the draft. As a result, an excessive amount of heating fluid is delivered to a radiator, the excess being discharged into the return pipe and its heat dissipated as lost or ineffective;

In the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment ofthe invention is disclosed, wherein Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of a radiator with the controlling device installed,

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the device in longitudinal section showing its internal construction,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3, 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view in vertical section of a radiator showing a modified form of the device applied thereto,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the method of regulation, and

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6, 6 of Figure 5.

section is a return pipe 4, also provided with a valve 4. Reducing fittings or bushings 5 and 6 are preferably inserted into the threaded openings formed in the end sections, and take the threaded ends of the supply and return valves 3* and P, respectively.

As clearly shown in Figure 1, the controlling device 7 is supported in the lower portion of the radiator and extends from the supply pipe connections, inwardly therefrom and transversely through the connecting passages of several of the radiator sections, the inner end terminating adjacent the lower end of the further or left end section, although, as will be presently pointed out, it is only essential that the free end of the device terminate beyond the first section, counting from the inlet end.

The control device consists of a tube or cylindric casing 7 which is supported at one end in a bushing 5 by means of an externally threaded end portion 8, havin an internally threaded socket into which is screwed the end of the steam supply valve 3. At the inner end of the end ,portion 8 is screwed a valve seat 9 with an orifice 9 opening into a chamber 10 having a plurality of radially opening ports 11 in its "surrounding wall. l hese ports communicate directly with the lower portion of the first or right end section of the radiator.

'Beyond the chamber 10 the tube is closed except near its free end where are formed another series of radial openings 12. Extending-concentrically of the tube 7 is a rod or valve stem 13 carrying at its outer end a valve member 14: adapted in the axial movement of the valve stem to open and close the orifice 9 The opposite end of the valve stem extends endwise into a cylinder 15 which is screwed into the inner or free end of the tube 7, and closed by means of a screw plug 16. The wall of the cylinder is spaced from the wall of the tube. Thus be termed a head through which the purpose being presently set forth.

valve stem extends. A quantity of packi l7 fills the remaining space from the hea of the cylinder to the chamber 10, thereby preventing the passage of the heating fluid lengthwise of the tube.

' At the end of the valve stem 13 is a cylindric head or piston 18. The cylinder contains a quantity of liquid which acts to force theplunger forward when the liquid expands under a rise in temperature, thus seating the valve 13' upon its seatand clos-' ing the orifice 9. A bellows 19 of thin metal connects the piston 18 with the forwardendor head of the cylinder l5, allowing movement of the piston without leakage of the liquid. Thus, as the liquid is cooled and contracts, the pistonis moved in a direction to open the orifice 9.

Mounted upon the exterior of the tube 7 is a circular plate or collar' 20 capable of sliding endwise thereon. This plate occupies a position adjacent the head end.

of the tube and beyond the ports 11. About the periphery of. the plate 20 is a facing ring of some suitable porous material, its

As clearly shown in Figure 1, the plate 20, bears laterally against the end of the connectingpassage between the end section and the adjacent or second section, thereby closing or sealin the same to the passage of steam. In or er that a positive sealing may besecuredfa coil spring 22 surrounds the casing 7 between the plate 20 andthe bushing 5 and serves to yieldingly force the plate against the end of the passage. The purpose of theporous ring 21 is to allow the water of condensation to. seep through into the sections-beyond the sealfilled with air.

ing rin thus preventing the accumulation of con ensation in the lower portions of the first section.

In setting forth of the device it may beassumed that the radiator is completely shut off by meansof the valve 3 in the supply pipe. The radiator is therefore cold and partially The steam is then turned on and fiows through the orifice 9 which, being restricted, admits the steam at a reduced pressure and velocity and in this condition the steam mag; be termed vapor to distinguish it from the steam atthe pressure at which it is supplied to the radiator.

The vapor thus enters the chamber 10 and escapes through the ports 11 into th'e surrounding space, atthe lower end of the first the mode of operation section. Inasmuch as the plate 20 seals the passage from the lower end of the first section to the sections beyond, the vapor rises in the first section and expands until it dissipates the kinetic energy, and then distributes itself laterally throughout the upper portion of the several sections in strata or layers .of uniform depth without turbulence. Thus the upper part of the entire radiator is'heated uniformly. -As the vapor continues to flow into the first section, the 11 per layer moves downwardly, gradually coming condensed as the wa ls absorb the heat, and the water of condensadiator and the tube cools, the thermostatic element will contract, unseating the valve member and again admitting steam to the radiator.

In this manner the admission of steam is automatically controlled, rdless of the pressure of the steam supp y, and the setting of the valve in the supply pipe.

In Fi res4= to 6, a modified form of control evice is shown, and comprises an addition to the parts already described. This added feature ma be described as an external endwise shi table sleeve 23 surrounding the tube 7, the latter together with the associated parts performing the same functions as heretofore, and therefore need not be again described. n

The sleeve 23 extends substantially the full length of the tube 7, and, with the exception of the outer or right-hand extremity of the sleeve, a passage is formed between the tube 7 and sleeve 23. The extremity of the sleeve adjacent the inlet .ports 11,, 11

of the tube is reduced in diameter, as at 24, to provide a ring having sliding fit on the tube.

Extending axially from the upper-edge of the sleeve 23 is an integral arm 25 to which is connected. a rod 26 extending through the screw fitting 5 and terminating exterior of the radiator ain an upturned handle 26. The handle is operated by hand to shift the sleeve axially and substantially a distance equal to the longitudinal dimensions of the Eorts 11 in the chamber 10 of the tube 7.

y the sleeve in either direction, the redfice end portion 24 of the sleeve covers or uncovers the ports 11 with the following results. be shifted into the position shown in Figure 5, it' will be observed that one-half of the area of the ports 11 is closed, with the result that the volume of steamdelivered to the first section of the radiator is reduced to one half. At the same time a portion of the ports 11 is open to the annular space between the sleeve 23 and the tube 7 beyond the ring 24,'so that a part of the steam is free to escape directly toward the free end of the tube 7. Thus it is seen that a bypassing of the steam is'accomplished, to the end that the thermostatic element in the tube becomes active .to close the valve before the steam completely fills the radiator sections from the top. Thus the radiator may be operated at less than full capacity, namely, one-half the upper half being hot and the lower half cold, thereby providing for a more economic operation in mild .weather.

Similarly, by shifting the sleeve in either direction from the central portion, proportionately greater or less volume of steam is by-passed from the first section directly to the sensitive end of the tube, affecting a shorter or longer delay in the action of the valve member with a correspondingly less or greater eifective heating area of the radiator.

As already suggested, the device herein disclosed, and in either form, may be readily installed in any radiator, and provides an accurate and efl'ective method of automatically controlling the heating capacity of a radiator.

Having disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, I cla1m 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a radiator consisting of sectionsconnected at their ends, and having a fluid inlet connected with one of the end sections, of a casing adapted to be mounted in said inlet and comprising a valve for controlling the fluid supply to the radiator, a temperature responsive element emote from said valve and operatively connected therewith, and a plate adjustably mounted on said casing intermediate said valve and heat responsive element.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a radiator consisting of sections connected at theirends, and have ing a fluid inlet connected with one of; the end sections, ofi a casing adapted to be mounted in said inlet and comprising a valve in said inlet, a chamber beyond said valve and communicating with the. immedi- 3. In an automatic fluid control device,

Considering the sleeve to the combination of a radiator comprising sections connected at their opposite ends and having a fluid supply connection with one of said sections, a tubular casing extending from said inlet connection through passages connecting the ends of said sections adiacent said inlet connection, a fluid inlet va \e at one end of said casing, a temperature responsive element at the other end of said casing, and aplate adjustably mounted on said casingintermediate the ends thereof and adapted to seal the passage from said first mentioned section and the remaining sections,

4. In an automatic fluid control device, the combination of a radiator consisting of sections connected together by passages at their upper and lower ends and provided with fluid inlet and discharge connections in the opposite end sections and in alinement with said passages at the lower end of said section, a tubular casing adapted to be mounted in the fluid supply connection, a valve mounted in said casing for controlling the fluid inlet to said radiator, a temperature responsive element'located at the opposite end of said casing, and an annular plate slidably mounted on said casing intermediate the ends thereof.

'5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a radiator having a fluid supply connection, a tubular casing mounted at said supply connection, a valve for controlling the fluid supply through a port in said casing, a thermostatic element in said casing, and a member slidable on said casing and adjustable to regulate the flow of fluid from said port directly to said thermostatic element.

6. In an' automatic fluid control device for radiators the combination of a radiator, a casing adapted to be mounted in said radiator at the fluid inlet thereto, a valve for controlling the fluid supply into said radiator, temperature actuated means for operating said valve, said casing being provided with ports adjacent said valve, a sleeve slidable lengthwise of said casing and forming a longitudinalpassage sur= rounding the same, said sleeve having a reduced portion coacting with said port to direct a portion of the fluid through said passage, and means for sealing the interior of the radiator against the passage of steam lengthwise of said casing and exterior of said sleeve.

7. In an automatic fluid control device for radiators the combination of a radiator, a casing adapted to be mounted in said radiator at the fluid inlet thereto, a valve for 1 controlling the fluid supply into said radiator, temperature actuated means for operating said valve, said casing provided with ports adjacent said valve, a sleeve slidable lengthwise of said casing and forming a longitudinal passage surrounding thesame, said sleeve having a-reduced portion coacting with said port to direct a portion of the fluid through said passage, and means carried by said sleeve and engagin theinterior of said radiator to prevent t e passage of fluid along. the exterior of said sleeve.

8. Ina device of the character described, the combination of a radiator comprising a plurality of sections connected by passages at their upper and lower ends, a fluid supply pipe communicating with the lower end of one end section of saidradiator, a tubular casing mounted in said supply connection and extended transversely into a section be-. yond said end section, a valve mounted in said casing and controlling the fluid supply to a chamber formed at the adjacent end of said casing, said chamber being providedwith ports communicating with said end section, a thermostatic element operatively connected with said valve, a sleeve surrounding said casing andjforming a passage extending substantially the length thereof, said sleeve having a reduced end portion coacting with said ports to direct a portion of the fluid through said passage, and a plate mounted on said sleeve adjacent said port and adapted to close the passage from the lower end of said end section.

inlet'to one sectio n'and a fluid outlet from another section thereof, a valve in said inlet, a thermostatic element located remote from said first mentioned section, means for closing said first mentioned section, from the remaining section to effect the circulation of the fluid lengthwise of said sections, a bypass passage directly connecting said inlet through said passage.

' In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 'with said thermostatic element, and means- ,for regulating the amount of fluid bypassed my name this 19th day of A ril, A. D., 1923.

WILFRED S URTLEFF 

